Vanderbilt MSN 2020

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I just attended Vanderbilt's fall open house for the 2020 year and I'm really excited to be applying! I'm hoping to connect with other Vandey applicants so we can offer support and info along this process. I am applying to the post BSN dual CNM/ FNP program.

On 4/16/2020 at 8:23 PM, Li Lei said:

Niccceeee.. I think it would have made a difference too if I had already completed by BSN. I'm just finishing up now. Fingers crossed I get pulled off the list though.

11 hours ago, Li Lei said:

Yes I'm finishing my BSN (have not taken NCLEX) and was waitlisted but I will say I have an undergrad in Psych, MBA, Post-Bacc PreMed Certificate, HS-BCP, and 20 years Director and/or ownership of a large Psychiatry/Mixed-specialty group. To add to that I have a 3.8GPA, was a student scholar for APNA, Psi Chi, Sigma Tau, and Alpha Chi honor societies. I applied after and was waitlisted so I do think they look at the overall student and I do feel if I applied early admission I had a good likelihood of being admitted. I also had recommendations from 2 Psych's and a fellow DNP/NP Vandy Grad. I did not apply any where else but if I am not pulled from the waitlist I do plan on spending this Summer honing down online grad programs and applying to other schools and re(applying) at Vanderbilt.

12 hours ago, PsychNurse94 said:

Did anyone on here get waitlisted who have not completed their BSN yet? I have been an RN for 26 years with the last 11 of those years exclusively psych. Two of my recommendations were from board-certified psychiatrists that I have worked closely with for the last 2 years. I will be completing my BSN in a few weeks and my GPA is 3.7. It's disheartening to see people getting in with less than a year of nursing experience. I know I have worked Med/Surg, L&D, ER and HH before I ever figured out that psychiatric nursing was my passion. I am just shocked that some got in with so little nursing experience. I am chalking it up to my BSN not being completed yet, but I really don't know. I would like to know if anyone else got in without not quite having their BSN when they applied. I will apply elsewhere as I do not think I have a chance of getting off that waitlist. Plus I applied early, before October 15.

Hi!

I'm not at all an expert of the admissions process but I can tell you about my stats if that helps. I'm guessing the BSN pulls a lot of weight with Vanderbilt. They seem to look at the entire applicant, not just necessarily the level of experience. I was accepted and am graduating from my BSN program/taking the NCLEX this Summer, so I have no formal nursing experience. I did have a recommendation from the Director of my nursing program; she also attended the program at Vanderbilt. I am also involved in several campus organizations related to nursing and have attended a nursing study abroad program. I have also heard that the essays and statements weigh heavily on the decision - if you're applying to the WHNP program for example, they would look to see that you understand that role and not that you just want to be a nurse practitioner. As long as you show a dedication to the field you should be fine. Good luck! Hopefully they'll start getting people off the waitlist soon - I'm sure with everything going on they are a little behind.

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On 4/17/2020 at 11:13 AM, PsychNurse94 said:

Did anyone on here get waitlisted who have not completed their BSN yet? I have been an RN for 26 years with the last 11 of those years exclusively psych. Two of my recommendations were from board-certified psychiatrists that I have worked closely with for the last 2 years. I will be completing my BSN in a few weeks and my GPA is 3.7. It's disheartening to see people getting in with less than a year of nursing experience. I know I have worked Med/Surg, L&D, ER and HH before I ever figured out that psychiatric nursing was my passion. I am just shocked that some got in with so little nursing experience. I am chalking it up to my BSN not being completed yet, but I really don't know. I would like to know if anyone else got in without not quite having their BSN when they applied. I will apply elsewhere as I do not think I have a chance of getting off that waitlist. Plus I applied early, before October 15.

I cannot say why you were waitlisted and others got in because you seem like a great candidate based upon what you shared. However, you should know that you are compared against the pool of applicants you apply "against" and that changes from year to year. For example, the first year I applied, I applied as a non-nurse and got in. I decided I wanted nursing experience first so turned it down. The second time, I applied when I was still getting my BSN (thinking I would go part time while I worked) and got waitlisted. After some experience I applied again and got in.

On this board, you will see lots of people accepted who have NO nursing experience because they have that pathway. However, I found it MORE difficult to get in once I was a nurse, because the competition was different. You, however, have lots of experience, so it is likely something else. Sounds like you applied to the track for those with a BSN, while you were still working on it. It doesn't help to say "shoulda woulda coulda" but your app may have been more competitive if you had done their "RN to MSN" entry. I don't know this for sure, but perhaps they consider years of experience WITH a BSN for the BSN to MSN track.

If you don't get pulled off the waitlist, it is very likely you will be a top candidate in another year. Don't give up.

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On 4/17/2020 at 11:13 AM, PsychNurse94 said:

Did anyone on here get waitlisted who have not completed their BSN yet? I have been an RN for 26 years with the last 11 of those years exclusively psych. Two of my recommendations were from board-certified psychiatrists that I have worked closely with for the last 2 years. I will be completing my BSN in a few weeks and my GPA is 3.7. It's disheartening to see people getting in with less than a year of nursing experience. I know I have worked Med/Surg, L&D, ER and HH before I ever figured out that psychiatric nursing was my passion. I am just shocked that some got in with so little nursing experience. I am chalking it up to my BSN not being completed yet, but I really don't know. I would like to know if anyone else got in without not quite having their BSN when they applied. I will apply elsewhere as I do not think I have a chance of getting off that waitlist. Plus I applied early, before October 15.

Hey PsychNurse94,

I think PollyPeptide's response is the best I've read you get so far. It is a year by year competitive process according to who the other applicants are. If you've made the waitlist, you are a strong candidate and also if you continue progressing on your current path being competitive for a future year if necessary.

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PhoenixNurseNY,

I couldn't figure out how to directly reply to your comment. We had an informational Zoom yesterday, and it was specifically stated that no one has ever graduated late or failed to graduate due to issues with clinical sites. Hope that helps!

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3 hours ago, phelanka6 said:

PhoenixNurseNY,

I couldn't figure out how to directly reply to your comment. We had an informational Zoom yesterday, and it was specifically stated that no one has ever graduated late or failed to graduate due to issues with clinical sites. Hope that helps!

Thank you.

Oh? Did I miss this zoom call? How did you find out about this?

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13 minutes ago, PhoenixNurseNY said:

Thank you.

Oh? Did I miss this zoom call? How did you find out about this?

I signed up a couple weeks ago. I found the link to register on the admission requirements page. There should be a “register here” link on this page.
https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/admissions/MSN/index.php

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15 minutes ago, PhoenixNurseNY said:

Thank you.

Oh? Did I miss this zoom call? How did you find out about this?

It says “register now”

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Hi everyone! Hope you're all staying well.

On the admitted students page, it says that a financial aid packet will be sent by May 8. I am just wondering if anyone else hasn't received one? I'm not impatient at all and fully expect things to be a little behind given everything that's going on - just want to make sure I didn't miss a step.

Thanks!

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16 hours ago, legendcole97 said:

Hi everyone! Hope you're all staying well.

On the admitted students page, it says that a financial aid packet will be sent by May 8. I am just wondering if anyone else hasn't received one? I'm not impatient at all and fully expect things to be a little behind given everything that's going on - just want to make sure I didn't miss a step.

Thanks!

I'm so glad you mentioned this! I haven't received anything either, was worried it was just me. I get that things will be pushed back as well, but trying to create a budget is next to impossible without that information! Not to mention we're being told to plan on making the move to Nashville in August regardless of covid19 related restrictions...so I feel like this definitely shouldn't be something that gets delayed. I definitely understand that no one could have anticipated this from happening but it's definitely creating more stress

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Does anyone know when people who were waitlisted will start hearing back about whether they were accepted or not? Or when they heard in past years?

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2 hours ago, Camryn Sara said:

Does anyone know when people who were waitlisted will start hearing back about whether they were accepted or not? Or when they heard in past years?

I am currently in the PreSpecialty program and the year that I was admitted, I was taken off the waitlist in July. Others in this thread have already announced they have been taken off the waitlist for Fall 2020 already however they will probably continue taking people off the wait list. Keep the hope at least until July. Good luck.

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So a heads up to all incoming prespecialty students: somewhere on the website I found that the school is planning on switching from navy blue scrubs to black scrubs For prespecialty! I’m seeing some former students trying to sell their navy scrubs so just to let everyone know before they go out and buy them!

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